The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1914, Page 50

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50

The Lutheran Pioneer.

greatest of these works is His resurrection. Before
He ascended on high, however, He promised His
apostles: “These signs shall follow them that be-
lieve: In my name shall they cast out devils; they
shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up
serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it
shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the
sick, and they shall recover,’ Mark 16, 17. 18.
After His ascension “they went forth and preached
everywhere, the Lord working with them, and con-
firming the Word with signs following.” In the
Acts of the Apostles we read of many such miracles
whereby they showed that what they penned down
was the message of God.

‘What a miracle, too, was the magnificent found-
ing of the Church on Pentecost and its rapid
growth! Neither fire and sword nor false teachers
could suppress the Christian faith, the victory that
overcometh the world.

Finally, I mention the most important proof
of all, because it convinces unfailingly. It is the
testimony of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, which
is connected with the right use of the Bible. Jesus
says: “If any man will do His will, he shall know
of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I
speak of myself.” Those that have been led by
che Spirit to do God’s will, that is, to believe the
Gospel, the power of God to salvation, know well
that this doctrine is of God, they are firmly con-
vinced of its divine origin. ‘The best means to
drive away doubts as to whether the Bible is God’s
Word is the faithful hearing and reading of the

.Word and the conscientious use of the Sacraments,
which also contain the Word. H. 0.

Rev. Samuel Holt.

The last survivor of tle founders of the short-
lived “Alpha Synod” has been called to his reward.
Rey. Samuel Holt died April 2, this year, in Ala-
mance Co., N. C., where he had lived his entire life,
both as bondman and as a free citizen. He was a
slave in the Holt family, which was prominent and
widely known in North Carolina, and he had a kind
master and a kinder mistress. Mr. Robert Holt, for
a term Governor of the State, was his playmate. The
friendly relation between the two lasted till death

parted them. Samuel wept at the grave of his boy-
hood companion. When he called at the Governor’s
mansion in Raleigh, he asked with uncovered head
' to'see “Mars Bob,” and was admitted. When he

‘

returned, he had ten dollars in his pocket and some-
thing besides for the chapel he was building. The
silk hat, which was inseparable from Brother Holt
on Sundays and on journeys, had graced the head
of his distinguished playmate.

A short distance from the family residence of
the Holts stood, and still stands, the old St. Paul’s
Lutheran Church, a historic landmark. On the
gallery of that church places were assigned to the
slaves. At that altar many were baptized, con-
firmed, admitted to communion and into member-
ship of the Lutheran Church. Both Sam and his
wife, who died many years ago, were among the
worshipers.

According to his own statement, Brother Holt
was converted to the Lord while he was plowing
his master’s field. He heard a voice saying, “Samuel,
you are a sinner, but I have died for you. Follow
Me.” Frightened at the strange voice, he could
only stammer, “Is it you, Lord?” Receiving no
answer, he abandoned mule and plow and rushed
into the woods to pray. Under a tree, which he
pointed out to the writer on one of his visits, Sam
prayed long and powerfully, “Is it you, Lord, say
it again.” Distinctly the answer came, “Samuel,
you are a sinner, but I died for you. Follow Me.”
From that day on he followed the Lord. It was
to him also an indication that he was called to
preach the Gospel. He “had religion” now, and
felt that he was prepared to join the Lutheran
Church, and he was received. Being not a forget-
ful hearer, he took mental notes of the texts and
sermons he heard, and imparted what he had heard
to his hearers, but in diluted form. His experience
with the Lord in the cotton field, which he often
told, and with variations, never failed to produce
in the hearts of his emotional hearers the effects
desired. ‘The sisters wept and shouted, and the
brethren cried, “Say it to me, Lord! 0, yes, say
it to me.” Then Brother Holt began to sing, slowly
and softly at first, “I am a sinner, but you died
for me. Say it to me, say it to me!” And the
audience took up the strain and responded, “Yes,
Lord, say it to me! O, yes, say it to me!” (By
the way, in this manner most of the religious and
plantation songs of the negroes originated.) “Those
were good old times, and the Spirit worked power-
fully,” said Brother Holt as he related the story.

Unlike many of his contemporaries who found
plowing too hard when they felt they were called
‘to preach, Brother Sam continued to plow: his mas-

ter’s field even after freedom, but for wages. Later-

a